The firm is going for a middle-of-the-road approach that includes fee-based retirement accounts and which also relies on the best interest contract exemption with certain clients, says CEO Ron Kruszewski.

If you plan to join another firm or go indie, you’d better reacquaint yourself with this landmark agreement first.

Amid reports of a possible sale, assets rise and expenses fall.

Proponents of internal crossing say it can reduce costs, while detractors say it's riddled with potential conflicts of interest.

Friends and business associates lost $2 million in a Ponzi-like scheme.

The advisers made the move in the wake of new regulatory guidance which takes aim at recruiting deals.

Regulator comes down hard on compliance failures; additional $6.3 million must be paid back to investors.

"There are ways to potentially be cute with it. You could potentially cut out retirement business from the back-end bonuses," says an ex-Merrill Lynch executive who works in the independent space. "Cute doesn't usually work when it comes to regulators."

Mutual fund providers sought to use digital platforms as new distribution channels for their funds, but new guidance upends a strategy that would rely only on proprietary products.

The Justice Department and SEC have been cracking down on hedge funds' use of firms that are paid to offer insights on Washington policy that could move stock prices.

The early decision stops advisers from earning commissions on products that will also generate fees through the firm's Investment Advisory Program.

Following Commonwealth Financial Network's decision to cut its commission-based retirement business, some competitors head in the opposite direction.

With the fiduciary rule coming, advisers who have a great offer on the table better act fast, says one headhunter.

A planner tells compliance expert Alan J. Foxman that he's concerned a court-appointed guardian is not acting in an aging client's best interests.

New guidance from the Department of Labor provides conditions under which firms can offer bonuses and other compensation incentives.

The recording casts doubt on the CFP Board's claim that all CFPs are fiduciaries.

In an informal poll, the majority of banks and credit unions have made a definitive decision to no longer accept soft marketing dollars.

Some managers have been quick to respond with new robo platforms and recalibrated offerings for fiduciary advice.

FINRA plans to add 1,000 new arbitrators this year to improve its troubled dispute resolution process, but offers few new details on some of its largest challenges.

The regulator is asking firms to provide details of their cross-selling programs, including incentives offered brokers and other employees.